ANGELA: Angela has congenital joint contractures affecting almost all joints of both arms and hands. She demonstrated no muscle activation distal to her shoulders. The only UE active motion she was able to demonstrate for her evaluation were shoulder shrugs and cervical motion. She has no active movement in any of her digits, therefore, Angela was not a candidate for surgery. If a joint was released, there would be no muscle to move it.
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Arthrogryposis does not affect the cognitive function of children. Surgery is best reserved for cases in which the outcome will be expected to change the child’s life in a positive way. It is critical that children not undergo multiple painful surgeries that will result in very little change.
Time to Play the Brain Game:
Q) The word “arthrogryposis” is actually a catch-all term used to describe instances of joint contractures that are present at birth. True or False?
A) True and the treatment will vary depending on the severity of the condition but the key points are early treatment will provide the best outcome opportunities. It only occurs in 1 in 10,000 live births.